2014 Medal Winners - Listen Online

photo of Emerald and Juan

Octavia Fellin Public Library

"Come August, I start to grow my beard...."

Emerald Tanner interviews her uncle, Juan Delgado about his 30+ years dressing up as Santa Claus for their family and for the whole Gallup, New Mexico community. Juan is a long-time resident of Gallup and member of the Octavia Fellin Public Library.

Length: 1:58. Read transcript (PDF)

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photo of Connie and Jessica

Mid-Continent Public Library

"Even though in my family there was this emphasis on reading and this love of reading, my mother didn’t finish high school..."  

At Mid-Continent Public Library, Connie Jones (R) talks to colleague Jessica Ford, a former student at the Kansas City Elementary School where Connie was the librarian. Connie tells Jessica the story of her own educational and professional journey that started at her childhood library, and describes how, as a librarian today, she gets kids of all ages excited about reading.

Length: 3:57. Read transcript (PDF)

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photo of Marcia and Dottie

Chicago Public Library

"It was a very solitary arrangement, it was me and the post office...."

Marcia Trawinski, long-time member of the Chicago Public Library, talks to her friend Dottie Gibson about how adaptive services for the visually impaired have improved her relationship with books and the library.

Length: 3:53. Read transcript (PDF)

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photo of Van and Ivy

Las Vegas-Clark County Library District

"I'll tell you my favorite memory of going to the library with you. And this was even before you were in Kindergarten..."

Van Whaley and his ten-year-old daughter Ivy talk about their favorite things to do at the Las Vegas-Clark County libraries.

Length: 1:35. Read transcript (PDF)

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photo of Heather and Jeanne

Children's Museum of Indianapolis

"You made him smile. You made him forget that he had AIDS."

Ryan White was one of the first children to be diagnosed with AIDS in 1984, which he contracted from a medicine used to treat his hemophilia. Ryan's case drew national attention because of his successful attempt to attend public school at a time when very little was known about the disease. At the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Ryan's mother Jeanne White talks with Heather Stephenson, Ryan's school mate and close friend.  The Museum has a permanent exhibit—Ryan’s childhood room—meant to educate visitors about Ryan’s life and AIDS. We hear first from Heather.

Length: 1:59. Read transcript (PDF)

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photo of Ann and Karen

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences 

"I knew I was different from other girls my age, and I knew that I was different from you."

Ann Smith and her daughter, Karen Linehan, reminisce about Karen's childhood, her love of nature from a young age, and how Ann fostered that love. Karen is a now naturalist with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and an elementary school teacher in Wilmington, NC. Ann served on the board of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

Length: 2:57. Read transcript (PDF)

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photo of Amy and Christa

Yiddish Book Center 

"Somehow the space of this building allowed that, you know, for him to feel at home."

Amy S. Klein's  father, Arthur S. Klein, recently passed away. Amy (R) talks to Christa Whitney (L)  about her father's personal connection to the Yiddish Book Center, where Christa works and where Arthur started volunteering as a docent at age 82.  Christa also interviewed Arthur as part of the Center's Wexler Oral History Project.

Length: 2:32. Read transcript (PDF)

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photo of Madeline and Jeanne

Mystic Aquarium

 "I wanted to work here but being a docent just seemed absolutely terrifying."

At the Mystic Aquarium, Madeline Meranda, 18, talks to her former supervisor, Jeanne Long, about the summer of 2011 when Madeline worked as a volunteer docent.  Madeline share memories of her father, who encouraged her to work at the aquarium.

Length: 2:38. Read transcript (PDF)

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photo of Chip and Donovan

Sam Noble Museum of Natural History

"If we had a magic wand and could do something different for the museum, what would it be?"

Wildlife Biologist Chip Leslie talks to his 8-year-old grandson, Donovan, about their regular visits to the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History in Norman, Oklahoma, Donovan's love of science, and the exhibit he would most like to see.

Length: 1:49. Read transcript (PDF)

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photo of ShaQuana and Patti

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

"The Garden taught me how to interact with people, how to listen to people..."

At the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, ShaQuana Boykin, now 24, talks to Patricia (Patti) Hulse about how working with the Garden Apprentice Program (GAP) as a teenager helped her get through difficult times at school and at home.  Patti is the Manager of Youth & Family Programs at the BBG.  

Length: 3:11. Read transcript (PDF)